Poem
Ronelda Kamfer
NOW THAT SLEEPING DOGS
Now that sleeping dogs are awakeand I have found my heroes in rock-and-roll and gangsta-rap
the maid haunts me like a shadow still
Now that I talk Afrikaans
and I have cut the labels out of my clothes
the past still looks for me in the rain
Now that I’m old enough to understand
and too young to remember
now am I reminded of everything
Now that I only see people
and my lack of arts and culture
has made me stubborn
now I’m good enough
to be part of the system
Now that my parents love me
and I have crushed
the Happy Hotnot-mentality
now I am a fucking hero
But at night
just before I go to sleep
I beg the darkness to
frighten me again
© Translation: 2021, Robert Dorsman
NOUDAT SLAPENDE HONDE
NOUDAT SLAPENDE HONDE
Noudat slapende honde wakker isen ek my helde in rock n roll en gangsta-rap gevind het
jaag die meid my nog steeds soos ’n skadu
Noudat ek Afrikaans praat
en ek die labels van my klere afgeknip het
soek die verlede my nog steeds in die reën
Noudat ek oud genoeg is om te verstaan
en te jonk is om te onthou
Nou! word ek eers remind
Noudat ek net mense sien
en my tekort aan kuns en kultuur
my harregat gemaak het
nou’s ek goed genoeg
om deel te wees van die stelsel
Noudat my ouers van my hou
en ek die Happy Hotnot-mentality
opgebom het
nou’s ek ’n fokken hero
Maar saans
net voor ek gaan slaap
smeek ek die donkerte
om my weer bang te maak
© 2008, Ronelda Kamfer
From: Noudat slapende honde
Publisher: Kwela,
From: Noudat slapende honde
Publisher: Kwela,
Poems
Poems of Ronelda Kamfer
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NOW THAT SLEEPING DOGS
Now that sleeping dogs are awakeand I have found my heroes in rock-and-roll and gangsta-rap
the maid haunts me like a shadow still
Now that I talk Afrikaans
and I have cut the labels out of my clothes
the past still looks for me in the rain
Now that I’m old enough to understand
and too young to remember
now am I reminded of everything
Now that I only see people
and my lack of arts and culture
has made me stubborn
now I’m good enough
to be part of the system
Now that my parents love me
and I have crushed
the Happy Hotnot-mentality
now I am a fucking hero
But at night
just before I go to sleep
I beg the darkness to
frighten me again
© 2021, Robert Dorsman
From: Noudat slapende honde
From: Noudat slapende honde
NOW THAT SLEEPING DOGS
Now that sleeping dogs are awakeand I have found my heroes in rock-and-roll and gangsta-rap
the maid haunts me like a shadow still
Now that I talk Afrikaans
and I have cut the labels out of my clothes
the past still looks for me in the rain
Now that I’m old enough to understand
and too young to remember
now am I reminded of everything
Now that I only see people
and my lack of arts and culture
has made me stubborn
now I’m good enough
to be part of the system
Now that my parents love me
and I have crushed
the Happy Hotnot-mentality
now I am a fucking hero
But at night
just before I go to sleep
I beg the darkness to
frighten me again
© 2021, Robert Dorsman
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